Happy June, y’all! The first of June has, in typical LA fashion, brought with it the famous June Gloom. So while it’s overcast and a bit chilly here in the land of the Beach Boys, I’m cheering myself up by looking through photos of our Charleston vacation from two weeks ago.

The Hubs and I had always wanted to visit Charleston together, so when my dear friend Mary Beth invited us to her wedding there, we were IN for a weekend full of history and humidity. Here’s what’s up in the second-most haunted city in America (I know, it begs the question. #1 is Savannah. #3 is Mike’s hometown, Philadelphia.) I ain’t afraid of no ghosts.

The hot, sugary smell of Charleston pralines curled its finger and dragged us against our will into this store, and I can see why these pralines are world famous. The ladies who make them call everyone “young lady” and “young man” and give you free samples that are so fresh, they’re still warm. We ate a lot of pralines, many of them while lying in bed. Turns out that praline crumbs in the sheets don’t bother me one bit. P.S. In Charleston, they say PRAY-leens.

We loved this famous seafood spot:

And went to town on their fried green tomatoes…

And a bunch of other fried super healthy stuff. Hush puppies are my favorite.

And, naturally, we had shrimp & grits — the Palmetto State’s signature dish — just about everywhere we went.

You don’t go to Charleston without strolling through The Market:

The guy selling these nesting dolls said, “No photo! No photo!” So obviously I took a photo. It’s like when someone says, “Whatever you do, don’t push that button!” and you’re like, “You mean THIS button???” I’m a loner, Dottie. A rebel.

Below please find a History FAIL but a Photography WIN!

Here’s Jake.

He pulled our carriage for our tour of historic Charleston…

Where we saw cobblestone streets…

And the Provost Dungeon (no ghosts down there, btw)…

And pretty houses.

Here we rudely decided to peek through someone’s “privacy door” onto their porch. Look — they have a joggling board like Mary Beth’s!

My Philadelphia-bred husband didn’t find this book as funny as I did.

But a sparkler cheered him right up. He’s so easy.

Goodbye, Charleston! We’ll be back for more pralines someday soon…

Love,